Bayonne groups submit petitions to put their questions on May municipal ballot

The Bayonne Tenants Organization and School Board Choice submitted their petitions to the City Clerk’s Office yesterday in hopes of seeing their questions on the ballot in the municipal election in May.

Ed Gilligan, of the BTO, said his organization delivered 1,501 signatures just before 2 p.m.

The BTO has been fighting for nearly two years to put the question back on the ballot and repeal the city’s vacancy decontrol law.

The vacancy decontrol law allows landlords to remove units from rent control guidelines if a tenant willingly moves or is legally evicted.

“Vacancy decontrol was a good plan but it didn’t work,” Gilligan said. He hopes to bring back rent control by placing the question in the May ballot and letting the voters decide.

City Clerk Robert Sloan said the BTO needs 1,101 valid signatures to make it to the ballot.